Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Why Leonardo’s fire company just got a $2,500 boost

Spotted on the Middletown calendar: Nancy Scharff & The King of Kings Band

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Thursday September 3rd Patch AM (Andrew O.)

What's up Middletown! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why Leonardo's fire company just got a $2,500 boost
  • How Middletown keeps 9/11 hero Ken Tietjen's memory alive
  • Middletown remembers Dennis Smith Jr., beloved driver and outdoorsman

Also on today's calendar: Nancy Scharff & The King of Kings Band and 9 more events.

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Andrew O.!

Today's riddle: What has 2 arms and a neck but no head? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: A thunderstorm; warmer, humid, with a high of 88 and low of 73 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Friday: Warm with a t-shower in spots, temps: high: 88, low: 67.
  • Saturday: Mostly sunny and less humid, with a high of 83 and low of 63 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Leonardo's Community Fire Co. receives $2,500 grant from. NJ American Water (themonmouthjournaleastern.com) — Middletown's Community Fire Company in Leonardo just received a $2,500 grant from New Jersey American Water to buy extra batteries for its hydraulic rescue tools, boosting reliability during long emergencies. The funding is part of a wider program that distributed about $50,000 to 21 volunteer fire and EMS departments for lifesaving equipment upgrades.
   

2. P.O. Ken Tietjen's legacy lives on through foundation helping others (app.com) — Middletown residents continue honoring Port Authority Police Officer Kenneth Tietjen, a 9/11 victim, through the Ken Tietjen Foundation and the World Trade Center Memorial Gardens in town. His family, many still in Middletown and nearby communities, keeps his legacy alive with memorial walks, toy drives, and outreach centered on service and remembrance.
   

3. Dennis Smith Jr. (themonmouthjournaleastern.com) — Middletown residents are mourning the sudden death of 51-year-old Dennis Smith Jr., a local tow truck and recovery driver who ran a successful car service and loved NASCAR, fishing, and hiking. Visitation is today, Sept. 3, from 3–7 p.m. at Laurel Funeral Home in Hazlet, with the family requesting donations to Sea Bright United Methodist Church instead of flowers.
   

4. John Kaye dies, was Monmouth County prosecutor for 22 years (burlingtoncountytimes.com) — Longtime Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye, who worked closely with Middletown police on major cases and addressed vandalism at St. Catherine's Church, has died after 22 years leading the office. A photo retrospective highlights his role in high-profile investigations across the county and his later life as a painter, underscoring his impact on local law enforcement.
   

5. HABcore Names Two New Members to Board of Trustees (tworivertimes.com) — A Middletown resident, Michael Parent, has been appointed to the board of HABcore, a Jersey Shore nonprofit that provides supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Alongside Red Bank's Magda Muka, he'll help guide the organization's expanding shelter and affordable housing programs that serve vulnerable neighbors across the region.
   

📸 Around Middletown

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📸 Summers End —Andrew O. Like

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Middletown

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Join in a Celebration of Unity and Community —YMCA of the Jersey Shore Read on Patch
  • Dunkin' posted a job opening for Shift Leader in Leonardo. Apply here.
  • Johnston & Murphy posted a job opening for Part-Time Stock Associate in Red Bank. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Middletown here.

Ok Middletown! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A shirt (Thank you Dianna H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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